Fountain brush



March 4, 1947, 'H. L. FISCHER FOUNTAIN BRUSH Filed Sept. 4, 1943 I n'remi'or: W7

Patented Mar. 4, 1947 FOUNTAIN BRUSH Howard L. Fischer, St. Paul, Minn., assignor of forty-nine per cent to George Ulvick, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application September 4, 1943, Serial No. 501,335

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-138) This invention relates to fountain brushes and may be applied to a toothbrush where it is desirable to have the dentifrice stored in the hollow handle so that it can be dispensed quickly.

A feature resides in providing a valve means between the brush and the fountain handle which does not have any moving parts, but which valve is made by grooving the bearing shank on the brush-head and also grooving the opening leading into the handle which provides the bearing for the shank. These grooves are formed to overlap when they align so as to provide a passageway leading out of the handle and to the open channel extending longitudinally of the shank and leading to the bristles of the brush.

A feature of primary importanceresides in providing a resilient valve means in the shank of the brush-head which will compensate for any wear or inequalities to keep the brush in the proper adjustment or in a set position and to maintain a close fit between the working surfaces.

It is also a feature to provide a locking means which holds the brush-head with its shank releasably locked to the handle. This locking means is accomplished by the resilient shank which is formed with a shoulder in the end thereof and a complemental shoulder is formed in the handle of the brush to engage with the shoulder on the shank of the brush-head.

This fountain brush is formed entirely of plastic and the body of the handle is formed with flexible side walls so that the dentifrice or liquid in the brush may be pumped out to the bristles of the brush when it is desired. The handle may be sold to the trade with a stopper in the same and the brush-head and shank may be applied to the handle by removing the stopper from the vial-like hollow handle providing the unit, including the brush-head with its supporting shank and the hollow handle. All of these parts are made of plastic material, such as Vinylite or any similar acetate material which is suitable for the purpose.

These features, together with other details, wil be more fully and clearly hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of the brush, partly in section. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the vial-like handle showing the stopper for closing the same. Figure 3 illustrates the brush-head and shank removed from the handle. Figure 4 is an end view of the brushhead and shank taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The fountain brush A is illustrated in the form of a toothbrush to show the manner in which the invention may be applied thereto. It is apparent, however, that the invention may be applied to any fountain brush where a hollow handle I is desired for holding a supply of liquid or dentifrice and where a brush-head II is employed as associated with the handle I0.

- tufts of bristles.

The toothbrush A may be formed of two main parts, the hollow handle In which may be sold to the trade with a stopper l2, and the brush-head II which is adapted to be inserted into the opening I 3 when the stopper I2 is removed. It is desirable that the handle l0 be transparent or sufilciently translucent so as to disclose at a glance the amount of liquid remaining in the handle I0.

The brush-head H includes the tufts of bristles M and the channel-shaped shank l5 formed with the longitudinally extending groove l6 along the inner surface of the same and leading into the The open. groove It extends into the reduced shank portion l1 which fits into the opening l3 as illustrated in Figure 1.

The opening l3 which forms the bearing for the reduced shank portion I1 is formed with a complemental groove or passageway l8 which overlaps with the end of the groove or passageway lfi. When the groove l6 overlaps with the passageway I8 and is in alignment therewith, the dentifrice may be pumped out of the handle ID by squeezing the sides of the handle to force a quantity of dentifrice out into the groove l6 which will run down to the bristles it when the toothbrush is held upside down or with the bristles in a downward direction and the handl in an upward direction.

The upper edge 19 of the handle I0 is forme with a rounded surface and is adapted to fit into the annular groove 20 formed in the shoulder of the shank l5 which overlaps the upper edge I9 of the handle Hi. This provides a close fitting joint between the shank I5 and the handle Ill.

The reduced shank portion I1 is bifurc'ated as illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 4 forming an open slot 2| between the sides forming the cylindricalshaped reduced shank II. When this portion of the shank is molded of plastic material, the side portions flare outwardly so that the slot 2| is wider at the bottom than at the top. The lower end portions of the bifurcated shank I! are formed with semi-annular ribs 22 which project slightly from the cylindrical surface of the shank portion H. An annular shoulder 23 is formed in the handle [0 in which the ribs 22 are adapted to engage when the brush-head II is positioned in the handle [0 as illustrated in Figure 1. Thus, when the brush-head is connected to the handle ID, the sides of the shank I! are compressed slightly to provide a spring tension which is adapted to hold the brush-head II in any adjusted position in the handle I 0.

This resilient shank end [1 provides a resilient connection between the brush-head II and the handle I0 so as to keep a close fit between these working parts and to permit the brush-head H to be rotated in the bearing l3.

When the groove l6 and the passageway ii are 3 out of alignment, the shank I! will act as a resilient stopper to close the handle l and prevent any liquid from being forced out of the handle.

The stopper l2 may be formed with a resilient shank l I and with the projecting ribs 22 if it is desired. In this manner I provide a resilient shank end on the brush-head II which will take up any slight wear in the use of the brush as it is rotated in the bearing l3. Th brush and handle are of a simple construction formed entirely of plastic material which may be injection or compression molded. The fountain brush may be applied to other forms of brushes than that illustrated and wherein the same principle is desired to provide a resilient close fitting joint between the brush-head and the fountain brush.

I provide a hole 24 through one of the lower corners on the base of the handle III which permits the brush A to be hung on a hook when it is being larger at the inner end 26 than at the outer 1 end 21. Thus, whenv the bifurcated resilient shank I1 is inserted in the opening i3, it will fit the tapered opening I3 t0 releasably lock the brush shank IS in th opening I3. Any pressure on the liquid within the handle ID will cause the liquid to enter th slot 2| tending to expand the shank l1 and to hold the same locked in the opening 3 while pressure is exerted by the liquid in the handle 10.

Thus, I provide a frustro-conical opening i3 in the handle [0 and a similarly shaped resilient shank I! which is adapted to fit into lthe opening I3.

I claim:

1. A toothbrush of the character described, ineluding, a dentifrice containing body having an open neck portion, the internal wall defining the neck pdrtion being formed with an inwardly facing groove having one of its ends opening into the body and its opposite end terminating spaced from the free end of said neck portion and a detachable bristle supporting head having a reduced bifurcated portion resiliently and rotatably mounted within the neck portion of the body, said bristle supporting head being formed with a longitudinally extending outwardly facing groove having one of its ends terminating intermediate the ends of one leg of the reduced bifurcated portion, whereby said last named end of groove having one of its ends opening into said body and having its opposite end terminating spaced from the free end of said neck portion, and a detachable bristle supporting head having 4 a reduced tapered bifurcated portion resiliently and rotatably mounted within the flared neck portion of the body, said bristle supporting head being formed with a longitudinally extending outwardly facing groove having one of its ends terminating adjacent the brush bristles and its opposite end terminating intermediate the ends of one leg of the reduced tapered bifurcated portion,

whereby said last named end of the outwardly facing groove is moved into and out of alinement with said inwardly facing groove of the neck portion of the body during predetermined rotative movements of the bristle supporting head relative to said body.

3. A toothbrush of the character described including, a dentifrice containing body having an open neck portion, the internal wall defining the neck portion having its inner end terminating in an inwardly facing circumferential recess, said inner wall further being formed with a longitudinally extending groove having one of its ends opening through the recess and into the body and having its opposite end terminating spaced from the free end of said neck portion of the body, and a detachable bristle supporting member having a reduced bifurcated headed end adapted to seat with the circumferential recess and to b thereby rotatably connected within said neck portion of the body, said bristle supporting member being formed with an outwardly facing groove having one of its ends terminating adjacent the brush bristles and having its opposite end terminating intermediate the ends of one leg of the said bifurcated end, whereby. said last named end of the outwardly facing groove is moved into and out of alinement with the inwardly facing groove of the neck portion of the body during predetermined rotative movements of the bristle supporting member relative to said body.

4. A toothbrush of the character described including, a dentrifrice containing body having an open neck portion, the internal wall defining the neck portion having its inner end terminating in an inwardly facing shoulder, said internal wall of the neck further being formed with an inwardly facing groove having its lower end opening through said shoulder and into said body and having its opposite end terminating spaced from the free end of said neck portion, and a detachable bristle supporting member having a reduced bifurcated headed end for engagement beneath said shoulder to rotatably connect said member and body together, said member further being formed with an outwardly facing groove extending from the brush bristles to a point intermediate the ends of one leg of said bifurcated end, whereby said grooves are moved into and out of alinement with each other during relative rotative movements of the bristle supporting member and the body.

HOWARD L. FISCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

